◄ What Does Daniel 2:20 Mean? ►

King Nebuchadnezzar had an astonishing dream about a great statue with a head of gold, chest, and arms of silver, a torso of brass, legs of iron, and feet that were made up of iron mixed with miry clay. You can imagine the wave of horror that rippled through the land when the king commanded that unless the wise men of Babylon told him the dream and also interpreted its meaning, they would all be brutally executed!

Daniel and his three friends, however, trusted God and responded with wisdom and tact. They requested that the king allow them time so they might reveal the dream to them and tell him what it meant. And so Daniel and his friends determined to pray earnestly that God would hear their prayer and give them understanding concerning this mystery so that they would not be destroyed along with the other wise men of Babylon.

The Lord graciously heard their request and answered their petition. God gave Daniel the wisdom and understanding he needed to tell the king everything that happened in his forgotten dream, together with its interpretation. Whether the four young men met together in one place to pray, or retired into their own, private prayer-closets to appeal to the Lord is unclear, but we read that their prayers were answered and the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and immediately he lifted up his voice in praise and grateful thanksgiving to the God of heaven.

God, in His grace, answered the petition of these four young prayer warriors, and gave Daniel the understanding that was needed to satisfy King Nebuchadnezzar's outlandish request. Not only did the Lord disclose the king's dream in great detail but He also showed Daniel the meaning of the dream. God disclosed to his servant the most astonishing prophecy of future events and Daniel rejoiced, crying out in joyful praise, "May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him."

God revealed to Daniel the entire landscape of Gentile dominion over the world for multiplied centuries to come. He gave him a panoramic view of world history, from the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ at the end of the Great Tribulation. God laid out the most detailed perspective of end-time events, when the Son of Man will return to earth, smash into pieces all worldly kings, demonic dominions, and proud principalities and powers. God revealed a timeline of historical events that would culminate in Christ's return in great glory and majesty to set up His millennial kingdom on earth... when He will rule the world in righteousness and justice.

As soon as Daniel received the answer to his prayer and the pleadings of his three friends, he immediately began to praise the name of the Lord. Daniel acknowledged that God alone could have given him this understanding. He did not bathe in the glory that he was the one chosen to be God's tool. He did not consider that he was superior to his three friends or of greater importance. Rather, he humbly worshipped the Lord in the beauty of holiness and offered his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God for His grace and mercy in revealing the truth and saving their lives in the process.

What a beautiful example those young men set to all of us. Daniel did not panic when he heard the disastrous news that he and his friends would be slaughtered if they were not able to tell the king his dream and interpret its meaning. Like all the wise men of Babylon, Daniel knew, "No one on earth could make known what the king requested." But unlike the pagan, Babylonian magicians and soothsayers, Daniel trusted GOD and turned to Him for help. And Daniel wisely sought out other godly men who would join with him in petitioning the Lord to provide for their needs.

And as soon as Daniel was given the insight he needed, he did not request confirmation from his friends or set up a 'fleece' as verification. He did not immediately rush off to the king or even inform his friends of the answer. Daniel believed God. He trusted God, and he praised Him for his goodness and grace.

Throughout his short life, Daniel had developed such a close fellowship with the Lord that his ears were open to God's voice and his heart was open to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. And immediately Daniel gave credit to God for answered prayer. Immediately he cried out, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever - for wisdom and might are His."

Daniel did not become proud that HE had been chosen by God to have this revelation. He did not start to crow over his friends that HE rather than they had received the answer. Daniel was willing to seek the Lord, to hear from Him, to be used by Him, and to give God all the glory and praise forever and ever, because he knew that all wisdom and power, might, majesty, dominion, and authority belonged to GOD.

In this world that is disintegrating before our eyes, how important it is to seek the Lord when pressures and problems mount up in our lives. May we acknowledge that in our own strength we can do nothing - but how we praise God that we can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens us. May we readily remember that no matter what difficulties and dangers we may have to face, that the Lord has scheduled every day of our lives and will use us to carry out His plans and purposes if we are willing to submit to Him and trust Him in all things.

When confronted with insurmountable barriers or when our very lives are threatened, may we be quick to cast ALL our cares on Him and in everything by prayer and supplication - with thanksgiving and faith, call on the name of the Lord, and when our Father gives us the answer, may we never forget to give Him ALL the praise and worship - for He alone is worthy. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of unshakable faith we see in the lives of Daniel and his three friends when faced with an impossible task. Increase my faith, I pray, and help me to follow their wise example by bringing everything to You in prayer and supplication when confronted by the difficulties and dangers of life... knowing that ALL wisdom, knowledge, power, and preeminence, belongs to You. Give me godly courage and a childlike trust in You, and I pray that I would not falter when faced with challenging circumstances but look to You alone - for You have promised to be with us in every eventuality of life and are worthy of all our praise and worship forever and ever. This I pray in Jesus' name, AMEN.